Blogs

Setting weight loss goals

As we get closer and closer to the end of the year a lot of you are thinking about their New Year’s Resolutions. Here’s some statistics from 2014 that we should bear in mind:

-1 in 3 people gave up on their New Year’s Resolutions by the end of January due to being too busy, or not committed enough-66% of people have a fitness goal as part of their resolutions-73% of people gave up their goal completely before meeting their goals.-People who have given up on their resolutions have failed 4 times before.-Men are slightly more successful at their goals than women are especially when it comes down to fitness(http://www.details.com/blogs/daily-details/2013/12/new-years-resolutions-by-the-numbers.html)

Don’t get caught up in these patterns! There are several strategies to be aware of when setting New Year’s resolutions to ensure long term success. Let’s be “SMART” about it while using that acronym which stands for:

1)Measurable-A lot of people have the goal of “I want to lose weight” with nothing to go off of. You need something to measure it by so that you can understand whether or not you are reaching your goal. Inches, pounds, etc. You can track your progress weekly, biweekly, monthly to see if what you are doing is working.

2)Accountable-Most of the responsibility is in your hands. Keeping track of progress, or writing it down in a journal and own up to your mistakes when they happen to make sure you don’t fall back into old habits.

3)Realistic-Everyone can make goals such as “I want to be a millionaire by next month” can seem impossible and in most cases unattainable and quite discouraging. Try setting goals which do seem possible to do. Examples would be I want to lose 1lb every week this month for a total of 4lbs a month.

4)Timeframe-Give yourself a timeframe for which you want to reach your goal. The original goal of “I want to lose weight” has no boundaries and you can’t justify with anything. “I want to lose 1lbs a week for the next for 4 months with a total of 16lbs by April” would be a SMART goal to shoot for.

Don’t be like the 73% of people who have given up on their goals before they even got anywhere close to it. This is your year. Believe in yourself and once you are consistent with it the results will show. Your goal will be reach before you will even know it.

Northwest Wellness's Blog

Useful information for a healthy lifestyle.

The holidays are here and with the cooler temperatures indoor cooking with friends and family is a must. I have a couple of friends who have food allergies or certain dietary needs. Friend A has a serious gluten allergy, friend B is vegan, and friend C is allergic to beef and most condiments. So, when it comes to social gatherings involving food, meal planning requires extra forethought. Like most I searched the internet (Google and Pinterest) and asked friends for some recipes to help accommodate my nearest and dearest.

When I was probably 11 or 12 years old I tried to eat a vegetarian diet. My mother humored me and allowed me to try tofu hot dogs. Let’s just say the new diet only lasted a day. As I grew up I still tried different recipes and dishes just to help broaden my palate. Needless to say I did come across gluten free and even vegan dishes that either tasted amazing or were an experience to remember (not in a good way).

With that all said I have found some recipes that not only my friends enjoy but dishes that I like to whip up for myself. Keep in mind I am no Julia Child but I do enjoy cooking. Bon appetit!

This recipe for Sweet Potato Shepherd's pie was discovered on Pure Ella's website

http://pureella.com/sweet-potato-shepherds-pie-vegan-gluten-free/

Here is what you need:

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium sweet potatoes

1 onion

2 carrots

1/2 cup sweet peas (frozen are fine)

1/2 cup frozen organic corn

1 large can of lentils (or 1 cup dried lentils, cooked)

2 tablespoons of gluten-free soy sauce or vegan Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon dried paprika

sea salt and pepper to taste

grapeseed oil for cooking

2-3 sprigs of green onions for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters (so they cook faster). Heat water in a large pot, and cook the potatoes in 1 teaspoon salted water.

In a large pan, saute the chopped onions and carrots and cook until golden. Add the frozen peas and corn and cooked lentils and cover to cook for a few minutes. Add a bit of water if these veggies start to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add in the soy sauce, and season with cumin and turmeric, salt and pepper. Keep covered, turn down the heat to low.

Your potatoes should be boiled by now, drain and mash them with a potato masher. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

BAKING OPTION : 50 MINUTES TOTAL TIME

Scoop the lentil veggies mixture on the bottom of an oven-safe dish or ramekins (for individual sizes) and top with the mashed potatoes. Cover and bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

NOTES : both baked and no-baked options are great it all depends on the timing and how quickly you would like this dish to turn around. If you’re making this as a casual dinner on a busy evening forgo the baking and enjoy a quick delicious comforting meal. If you’re making it as a large family dinner or say Thanksgiving dish and waiting for company. Then I would do the baking version just because you can keep it in the oven until it’s ready to be served and keeps it out of the way until you’re ready.